Improvement in knapsacks



i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

E. F. SOUTHVVARD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNAPSACKS.

-Specifcation forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,70 I dated May 26,1863.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, E. F. SoUTHwARD, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Knapsacks for Soldiers; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exact specificationof the same, wherein I'have set forth the nature and principles of myimprovements by which my invention may be distinguished from all othersof a similar class, together with such parts as I claim anddesire tohave secured to me by Letters Patent.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inthe mode of constructing knapsacks for soldiers, the essential featuresof which consist in so forming the same as to render it adapted to manyuses in addition to that as a means of conveying the usual articlesplaced therein. It is of course desirable to decrease as much aspossible the amount of material to be transported by the army trainwithout, however, in the least degree encroaching upon the actualnecessities of the soldier in camp or active military life, and amongthe many articles heretofore found necessary to so transport may bementioned the following, viz litters for wounded and disabled men,mattresses, shelter-tents, &c.

Now, the present invention has for its objects to so construct theordinary soldiers knapsack that while its weight or bulk is notincreased it can be easily adapted,when desired for instant use, as alitter, bed, mattress, hammock, or shelter tent. To accomplish theseadvantageous results, so much desired,

I form upon or attach to the case or box por-Y tion of the knapsack `aflexible ilap or blanket or extension of sufcient length to meet all therequirements above stated, which flap or blanket, when the knapsack isto be strapped to the back of soldiers, is finally rolled up andfastened toits top by straps or otherwise. Within this ap pockets aremade for the reception of either articles of apparel, &c., forconveyance, or of hay, straw, or suitable material when the knapsack isused as a litter, 8vo.; but to more especially adapt my improvedknapsack to the purposes of a litter, hammock, or cot bed, I haveprovided a mode of stiffening its sides, which consists in making aseries of eyelets or apertures in and along each side of the ilap orblanket, through which cords being passed a pole or other proper articlecan be lashed and securely fastened to the same.

Having thus stated generally the objects of the present invention, Iwill now describe in detail its peculiar features, first, however,referri n g to the figures in the plate of drawings, in which- Figurelis a plan or top view, with the flexible flap or blanket whollyextended, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal central section of the same. Fig. 3is a central vertical section of the same when rolled up ready to bestrapped upon the back.

a a in the drawings represent the box or case portion of the knapsack,made of indiarubber, gutta-percha, sail, or any other suitablewater-proof and durable material; and b b is an'extension or ilexible apor blanket of one of the sides of the said box remade of the samematerial and with sufficient length to answer all the purposes for whichmyimproved knapsack i-s to be used, if desired, as has been hereinbeforestated. Upon the inner surface, c, of this flap b pockets d d are made,in which can be inserted any articles of apparel, &c., desired to becarried, they also serving as receptacles for hay, straw, and othersimilar material to adapt the knapsack more particularly as a mattrassor for any other similar purpose. This ap b b, when the knapsack isready for conveyance, is rolled up and fastened to the top side, j', ofthe box a by straps g g or any other suitable devices, the whole thenbeing fastened to the back or shoulders of the person by any of theordinary modes.

h h are apertures or gummets made at suitable intervals along each edgek 7c of the flap. Through each ofthe two series of holes cords arepassed when it is desired to lash or secure a pole or other similardevice to the sides of the knapsack in order to stiffen the same, as isevident it would be necessary so to do if the knapsack was to be used asa litter, cotbed, or hammock. The knapsack also, it is evident, whenthus secured to poles, &c., can be hung at each end thereof t0 anysuitable holding devices above, thus allowing of its practical use as ahammock, or the said poles being sustained by any suitable frame-workresting upon the ground, the knapsack is thus made to serve as acot-bed, the advantages of which results need not be herein moreparticularly specified, as they are perfectly apparent to all versed inthe necessities and Wants ot' military life.

Having thus described my improvements, I shall state my claims, asfollows l. So combining,` the knapsack and waterproof blanket with ayoke and straps as that the said blanket may be rolled up on top of andheld down onto the knapsack by the said yoke, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination of a knapsack, Waterproof blanket, and eyelets, ortheir equivalent, under such an arrangement that the same may beattached to a frame, poles, or mnskets, thereby forming a litter uponWhich the Wounded may be supported or transported from place to place,substantially as herein set forth.

E. F. SOUTHWARD. Witnesses:

ALBERT W. BROWN, EDWIN W. BROWN.

